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What can't be done with an iPad1

yoak

yoak

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 4, 2004
1,689
213
Oslo, Norway
I'm thinking of getting a first gen iPad for the kids to watch videos and read books when we are on the go etc. I'm wondering what limitation it has in regards to new apps etc.
They will probably like to play some games, but they are under 7 years old so nothing advanced.
Is it a good buy, or is it not worth it you think?
 
yoak said:
I'm thinking of getting a first gen iPad for the kids to watch videos and read books when we are on the go etc. I'm wondering what limitation it has in regards to new apps etc.
They will probably like to play some games, but they are under 7 years old so nothing advanced.
Is it a good buy, or is it not worth it you think?
Click to expand...

I think it would be an awesome buy. It does not support flash(which I'm sure you know) but there are plenty of free games on there that my kids loved(before I had to sell mine). And as far as I know the iPad1 should be able to handle all of the iPad apps currently on the app store considering they haven't released iOS6 yet.
 
RedCroissant said:
I think it would be an awesome buy. It does not support flash(which I'm sure you know) but there are plenty of free games on there that my kids loved(before I had to sell mine). And as far as I know the iPad1 should be able to handle all of the iPad apps currently on the app store considering they haven't released iOS6 yet.
Click to expand...

Plenty of apps still support iOS 3 so I don't think the iPad 1 is going to be cut off any time soon. I'm still using mine daily for video, browsing, email, reading comics and books and just about anything else I can think of. I may retire it some time next year and get a new one at which point my son will likely get it but who knows? iOS 5.1 still works well and I'll see what 6 is like on my iPhone before I decide if I can't live without the features.
 
My first gen iPad still holds up very well. Moving around the home screens can be a bit slow at times but once you are in an app it works very well and without any slowdown. As mentioned, it won't be getting iOS 6 and obviously any further iOS updates but I haven't found many apps that don't support my iPad yet. Just a very few select games.
 
Apple shortchanged the original iPad on RAM. After a while, they managed to get the OS to the point that you didn't really miss it, and multitasking on iOS 4 worked great, but I started to feel the shortage of RAM on iOS 5, and it hasn't gotten any better. The biggest issue is Safari having to reload pages when you switch between multiple tabs, or just crashing. I also found some graphically intensive iBooks were almost unusable, thought that has improved with updates to iBooks.

However, for the uses you describe, I think it will do fine.
 
One of the things that an iPad can't do that a laptop can, is loading an internet page in under a second.
 
I Wish my Ipad would make calls (Via the apple headset), then i wouldn't need to carry around this dinky little phone with its awful battery life and tiny little screen...

Seriously though, an ipad 3G with a bluetooth headset or wired headset should be able to make calls, all the hardware is there for it to do it, come on jailbreakers, make it so already :D
 
Limitations could affect power users, but if it's for your kids, it's a perfect idea. Movies, books, games (though not the latest and greatest).

Another route is an iPad 2, but only if you plan on keeping it for a longer time (app support mainly). Probably useless if aimed at kids, though.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm thinking of picking it up second hand, it turns out cheaper than buying a DVD player for the car and it is do much more usefull IMO. I have a 2 gen, but when we are travelling I can't get my hands on it ;-)
 
We have the first generation wifi version and it keeps us in our match three game fix just fine. I'm not a movie watcher, but it has run Star Trek and some tv shows with no problems. I bought a Dual Bluetooth GPS reciever for it before my last camping trip. You need to prepare maps beforehand to use it off line, but it was able to pin point us on dirt Forest Service roads in a remote portion of a National Forest. Great little device.

Dale
 
I believe the iLife apps wont run on the Gen 1 iPad. (Garageband, iPhoto.. ect) Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Biggest limitation...

No front facing camera, so you can't use Skype to video conference. It's hardly a showstopper, but considering how close the 1st and 2nd generation models are in price these days, I'd definitely spring the extra bucks for an iPad 2 which is also significantly zippier, but if you're really trying to cut the cost down, a first gen iPad is definitely far from useless. I have been using my old 1st gen and my new iPad 3 interchangeably and, other than the obvious zippiness of the new model, the gorgeous screen and the cameras, the 1st gen is practically as good.
 
Nightarchaon said:
I Wish my Ipad would make calls (Via the apple headset), then i wouldn't need to carry around this dinky little phone with its awful battery life and tiny little screen...

Seriously though, an ipad 3G with a bluetooth headset or wired headset should be able to make calls, all the hardware is there for it to do it, come on jailbreakers, make it so already :D
Click to expand...
There are a number of apps that can make voice calls over a 3G data connection. I believe Skype, Truphone, and fring are three such apps. At least some of them let you call landlines and mobiles.

I know for fact that the free Talkatone app can make VoIP calls via Google Voice. I've done it succesfully on an iPad as well as an iPod touch. There's an in-app purchase that will remove ads and enable an extra codec for better quality audio over 3G.

No jailbreaking is necessary to make voice calls over 3G.
 
You can't do this with your iPad 1...

http://youtu.be/XcIwXVKQjsQ

You really need an iPad 2 or 3 as a cutting board... :D

BTW, I'm still using my iPad 1 as my main on the road device. It's still great. I recently bought a bt keyboard for it for those times when I want to write longer text but I don't use that feature very often.
 
I find it to be too slow for my tastes. My little sister doesn't mind though, even if she just does light gaming and cartoon watching on it.
 
eas said:
Apple shortchanged the original iPad on RAM. After a while, they managed to get the OS to the point that you didn't really miss it, and multitasking on iOS 4 worked great, but I started to feel the shortage of RAM on iOS 5, and it hasn't gotten any better. The biggest issue is Safari having to reload pages when you switch between multiple tabs, or just crashing.
Click to expand...

Agreed. If I could do it over again, I never would have upgraded to iOS 4. The additional features aren't worth the performance tradeoffs. For example, besides the Safari problems you mention, it sometimes takes a second or longer for a keystroke to register.
 
cvaldes said:
There are a number of apps that can make voice calls over a 3G data connection. I believe Skype, Truphone, and fring are three such apps. At least some of them let you call landlines and mobiles.

I know for fact that the free Talkatone app can make VoIP calls via Google Voice. I've done it succesfully on an iPad as well as an iPod touch. There's an in-app purchase that will remove ads and enable an extra codec for better quality audio over 3G.

No jailbreaking is necessary to make voice calls over 3G.
Click to expand...

a Jail break is necessary to make a voice call using your Mobile plan, i dont want to pay EXTRA for skype/whoever credits, i just want to put my mobile sim, with my phone number, into an iPad and treat it as a single phone/tablet device, there is no reason it cant do this already except apple wants you to buy two devices.. its why im considering one of the samsung tabs as my next tablet.
 
I'm surprised nobody else mentioned this, but the original iPad won't do mirroring. You can't sent video from an app to a TV, either with the HDMI adapter or Air Play.
 
yoak said:
Thanks for the input guys. I'm thinking of picking it up second hand, it turns out cheaper than buying a DVD player for the car and it is do much more usefull IMO. I have a 2 gen, but when we are travelling I can't get my hands on it ;-)
Click to expand...

For this application there's no reason to get anything other than iPad 1.

iPad 2 is noticeably more responsive in day-to-day use, but for keeping the kids quiet in the car it doesn't make a difference.
 
eas said:
Apple shortchanged the original iPad on RAM. After a while, they managed to get the OS to the point that you didn't really miss it, and multitasking on iOS 4 worked great, but I started to feel the shortage of RAM on iOS 5, and it hasn't gotten any better. The biggest issue is Safari having to reload pages when you switch between multiple tabs, or just crashing. I also found some graphically intensive iBooks were almost unusable, thought that has improved with updates to iBooks.

However, for the uses you describe, I think it will do fine.
Click to expand...

CoMoMacUser said:
Agreed. If I could do it over again, I never would have upgraded to iOS 4. The additional features aren't worth the performance tradeoffs. For example, besides the Safari problems you mention, it sometimes takes a second or longer for a keystroke to register.
Click to expand...

Go to Settings, and under the General tab select Spotlight Search. Turn it off for everything except Applications (you can turn it off for that too if you don't use it) and your iPad's performance will greatly improve under iOS 5. Especially Safari.
 
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